Advertise on podcast: AFSPA Talks

The Bureau of Medical Services within the Department of State plays a unique role in supporting the thousands of members of the Foreign Service and other U.S. government agencies, and their families, serving around the world. These medical professionals provide primary care, arrange medevacs, support ongoing chronic care, and more. Today, AFSPA Talks with three leaders from MED to learn a bit more about their work and to get some advice for audience members who are new to the Foreign Service or considering joining.   Please note: This episode was recorded in late September 2026. All information in this episode is current as of that date.   Links discussed in this episode: Upcoming AFSPA Events: www.afspa.org/events AFSPA's Life Insurance Open Enrollment: www.afspa.org/life Choosing Federal Health Insurance: Selecting Federal Health Insurance

For almost 40 years, the Senior Living Foundation has helped meet the needs of the Foreign Service community. We do this with professionalism and dignity while maintaining our clients' privacy. Today, we'll look at how SLF works, who we can help, and what that help looks like. SLF Social Work Consultant Joan Parrish, MSSW, LGSW, joins us to share her role in the process.    For more information on SLF, please visit www.slfoundation.org. Follow SLF on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@seniorlivingfoundation) and Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/seniorlivingfoundation).  To join us for our Next Chapter Conversation on September 23, please visit https://www.youtube.com/live/V7PLC7fdnXc?si=aVA59SQhO4Wc-eO9.   You can submit your questions for the event here: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/r/KNUsfShw0r  To explore other upcoming events from AFSPA and our partners, please visit www.afspa.org/events.

August is a time of change for many. For families with children, it's back-to-school time. For many AFSPA members, it's also PCS season. This can all combine to make for a challenging period. To help us talk through ways to manage these changes, we're talking with Catherine McLean, MSW, LCSW, from the Truman Group. She shares her knowledge as a licensed clinical social worker and her experience as an expat and a counselor to many other expats. To help after the episode ends, she's also shared an infographic available here. Upcoming events: www.afspa.org/events  Truman Group: www.trumangroup.com

Many of you know that AFSPA offers more than the Foreign Service Benefit Plan. But did you know that we go beyond traditional insurance? In this episode, AFSPA's Sr. Director for Ancillary Programs walks us through some of the hidden treasures she manages, including travel insurance, members-of-household plans, and professional services partnerships. There's something for everyone at AFSPA.  For more information on AFSPA's ancillary programs, please visit www.afspa.org/aip.

In today's episode, we continue our focus on men's health but expand it to care options for everyone. Removing barriers to care makes it easier for everyone to get the support they need, and that's exactly what we discuss today. Members of the Foreign Service Benefit Plan have access to a variety of telehealth and chronic care management options through our partnership with Teladoc Health. Chris Eastburn from Teladoc provides us with an overview of the various programs and how they can help all our members.  For more information on FSBP care options, visit www.afspa.org/fsbp.  To see our upcoming events, visit www.afspa.org/events. Join us for AFSPA Live on June 25. Submit your questions in advance at: https://forms.office.com/r/9FuRJC76sN. Don't miss open enrollment in AFSPA's disability insurance program through June 30. Learn more and enroll at www.afspa.org/aip/disability.

Statistically speaking, men are less likely to seek care, both for prevention and treatment. This applies to physical health and mental/behavioral health. In recent years, this discrepancy has led to a widening gap in life expectancy between men and women. We discussed these differences, the importance of care for men, and even dived into some trends with Dr. Kelly Ruel, Sr. Medical Director for Aetna/CVS Health.    To learn more about topics discussed in today's episode, please visit: AFSPA Events - https://www.afspa.org/events FSBP Preventive Care, Virtual Care, and Wellness Programs - https://www.afspa.org/fsbp/wellness-programs/

National trends indicate that more people are waiting until a bit later in life before considering their options. Some plan months or years in advance before starting the journey, while others make plans quickly when they find out a new addition is on the way. Growing a family looks different for each of us. Last year, more than 700 FSBP members gave birth and grew their families in locations around the world.    For FSBP members at any stage of the fertility, maternity, or parenting journey, they can access support through Maven Clinic. As part of Maternity May, we welcome Dr. Kathleen Green from Maven to talk about their support program and how members can benefit from this free, global offering. You can ask your own questions to Dr. Green during this month's AFSPA Live on May 28 at 11 am ET.    To enroll in Maven Clinic, please visit www.mavenclinic.com/join/FSBP   To learn more about our upcoming programs, please visit www.afspa.org/events.

AFSPA is happy to announce that we recently launched a new long-term disability insurance plan in partnership with Prudential. This new plan offers a variety of ways to customize coverage based on your salary and how long of a benefit period you want. To learn the ins and outs of the new plan, we welcome back Nicole Devlin from Prudential to the program.  To learn more about the new plan, please visit www.afspa.org/aip/disability.  To see all of our upcoming events, please visit www.afspa.org/events.

We continue All about AFSPA April with a deep dive into claims. Last year, the Foreign Service Benefit Plan processed more than 2.28 million claims from members all around the world. These included more than half a million overseas claims and thousands of massage therapy claims. If you've ever wondered how we do it, this episode is for you. Kelli Rath from Aetna walks us through the processes, challenges, and successes of processing claims from our unique, worldwide membership.   For more information on claims, please visit www.afspa.org/fsbp/claims.  For all of AFSPA's upcoming events, visit www.afspa.org/events.

Welcome to All About AFSPA April! In today's episode, we are discussing the Foreign Service Benefit Plan. With AFSPA's Sr. Director of Health Operations, Igor Cherevko, we visit some of the most frequently asked questions and common topics that our Health Benefits Officers encounter.  Drug Pricing Tool: https://www.express-scripts.com/frontend/commercial-open-enrollment/afspaforeignservicebenefitplan/plans/68c2cfb07c0b92001c878c32/apps/medication#/ Lyra Health: Call 1-877-505-7147 or visit https://www.lyrahealth.com/.  Truman Group: https://trumangroup.com/  For more information on FSBP, visit www.afspa.org/fsbp.

To close out Medicare March, we're taking some time to look at the most popular Medicare program in the country: Medicare Advantage Plans (MAPs). Dr. Ali Khan, Chief Medical Officer, Medicare at Aetna, joins us to talk about the plans in general and dive into the specifics of the FSBP - Aetna Medicare Advantage Plan. Join us for a great conversation about the ins and outs of MAPs, how FSBP members can take advantage of savings and support opportunities, and for some general tips on care as we all age.   For more information on the FSBP - Aetna Medicare Advantage Plan, please visit www.fsbphealth.com/retiree.  For more on how FSBP works with Medicare generally and other options available, please visit https://www.afspa.org/fsbp-and-medicare/.  To learn more about our upcoming events, go to www.afspa.org/events.

In 2026, FSBP changed its High Option prescription drug benefits. The result: many people are paying more out of pocket for their drugs. For those enrolled in Medicare Part A and/or Part B,  there is an option available to save money: the FSBP-Express Scripts Medicare Prescription Drug Plan (PDP). We revisit this program in today's episode with Tavares Johnson from Evernorth/Express Scripts.  Tavares began his career at Express Scripts in 2008 as a Patient Care Advocate, where he gained valuable experience supporting members, pharmacists, and physicians. His dedication and problem-solving skills led to a promotion to Resolution Team Lead, a role in which he partnered closely with account management and clients to resolve complex member issues. In 2013, Tavares was promoted to Senior Account Manager, where he began working with Medicare Part D clients and deepened his expertise in Medicare products and services. His comprehensive understanding of both member and client needs has been instrumental in driving successful outcomes. In 2024, Tavares was promoted to Senior Manager on the EGWP Market Strategy team, where he leads strategic initiatives to support Employer Group Retiree plans. His leadership and industry insight continue to make a meaningful impact across the organization. To learn more about the PDP and opt in to the program, please visit www.afspa.org/pdp.  To review PDP drug pricing, please visit: https://www.express-scripts.com/frontend/medicare-open-enrollment/fsbp.  To review High Option drug pricing, please visit: www.express-scripts.com/fsbp  Join us for AFSPA Live on March 26 at 11 am. You can submit your questions in advance, here: https://forms.office.com/r/wM8t8HqvDM Register for other upcoming events at www.afspa.org/events.

In this podcast episode,  AFSPA CEO Kyle Longton provides a comprehensive overview of how Medicare and the Federal Employee Health Benefits (FEHB) program work together. Learn about each part of Medicare - A, B, C, and D - and what factors you should consider when deciding whether to enroll in Part B.   Please note: this presentation addresses only how Medicare and FEHB work together. It is not intended for audiences beyond those with FEHB coverage. The information is accurate as of March 13, 2026.   For information on Part B premiums and Part D premiums/IRMAA amounts, please visit: https://www.medicare.gov/Pubs/pdf/115....  To learn more about signing up for Medicare, visit: https://www.ssa.gov/medicare/sign-up. To learn more about the Foreign Service Benefit Plan and Medicare, visit: https://www.afspa.org/fsbp-and-medicare/ Check out our events page here: www.afspa.org/events/.

The last year has been marked by record numbers of federal employees retiring from service. Making the decision to retire is never simple, and the considerations for federal employees are unique from any other group. Luckily, there are uniquely qualified advisors available, including our guest for this episode: Tammy Flanagan. She joins us to talk about changes to the retirement process and how she and her colleagues at Retire Federal can help assess retirement readiness.   Learn more about Tammy Flanagan's work:  Retirement Planning column for Government Executive: https://www.govexec.com/topic/retirement-planning/ Work on Federal News Network: https://federalnewsnetwork.com/tag/tammy-flanagan/ Retire Federal: https://www.retirefederal.com/ Join us for AFSPA's Annual Meeting: https://events.zoom.us/ev/ApdnelInxPpOrUWwrwRtWQHK6tRGvr-131W5CrN1-ZmfJrNFNBRT~AoT4rcYlVLw2IItcnh0s9MRHkhw0RCH8bwljb9hCwAKV7cePVcMYvKyCRg Submit questions for AFSPA Live: https://forms.office.com/r/ePv8DKMtvd See more upcoming AFSPA events: www.afspa.org/events

It's Financial Wellness February at AFSPA, and we're excited to highlight the expertise available from some of our partners. Federal employees' retirement and insurance needs are unique from those in the private sector, and that means they need advisors with unique expertise. Our partners at GEBA and GEBA Wealth Management offer just that. To tell us about their services, we're happy to welcome GEBA President and CEO Greg Klingler, MSM, CP, ChFEBC, CPFA. He will also be our guest on AFSPA Live at 11 am on Thursday, February 26.  Learn more about the service available for AFSPA members at www.GEBA.com/afspa.  Submit your questions for AFSPA Live here.  See other upcoming events at www.afspa.org/events.  Register for our Annual Meeting on March 6 here.